As the controversy between the United States and China continues, MSU students and local veterans groups are debating about whether the Bush administration should apologize to the Chinese government.
“It’s a really awkward position,” said Leang Eap, a marketing and Chinese senior. “It definitely needs to be settled but I wouldn’t really know how to settle it. If there is a formal apology or something like that I think China should also give one in return.”
The United States refuses to apologize for the collision between a Chinese fighter jet and a U.S. plane that was forced to make an emergency landing last month on a Southern Chinese island. The Chinese pilot and jet are still missing, and the 24-member American crew has still not been returned.
And Eap, a member of the Chinese Student Coalition at MSU, said she thinks the situation should be resolved by both countries apologizing.
Meanwhile, both countries’ administrations are showing no signs of such a conclusion.
Rob Weiss, state adjutant and quartermaster for the Department of Michigan Veterans of Foreign Wars, said the Chinese jets are at fault by not following the rules of engagement.
“We believe it is wrong for the Chinese to hold the American crew any longer,” Weiss said. “Those people were in international air space.”
Weiss said China should not demand an apology, but rather offer one to the United States.
And the area’s federal lawmakers are voicing their support for President Bush’s decision to not apologize - it’s a decision Bush said Monday could cause negative effects on future relations between the United States and China.
U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, whose district includes MSU, has co-sponsored legislation and wrote a letter to Bush encouraging the executive office to suspend China’s most-favored nation trade status.
A spokeswoman for the Brighton Republican said Rogers understands why negotiations are slow.
“Because he has a military background, studied Chinese in college and has traveled in China, he recognizes that face is very important to them,” Sylvia Warner said. “It is very important for them to save face and they backed themselves into a corner.”
To show its support for the American crew, Rogers’ staff has displayed yellow ribbons outside his offices in both Lansing and Washington.
Dave Lemmon, a spokesman for U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, said the Lansing Democrat is supporting the GOP president - despite party differences.
“0ur partisan bickering needs to stop at the border’s edge,” he said.
Meanwhile, the conflict has not yet affected MSU students choosing to travel abroad.
There are currently two students in Hong Kong on a Study Abroad trip to the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
Edward Ingraham, acting director for the Office of Study Abroad, said the crisis shouldn’t have an effect on these or future Study Abroad students.
“I have no reason to suppose that they’re being adversely affected by this,” he said. “It does not seem to be an issue that’s affecting our students’ ability to do our Study Abroad.”
Ingraham said it’s quite difficult for a program to get canceled or students to be sent home.
The most recent case of a Study Abroad program being affected came last month, when one student was forced to return home from Ireland because of the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Europe. A summer trip has also been temporarily canceled because of the epidemic.
The Office of Study Abroad monitors the safety of areas where students travel on a consistent basis, Ingraham said. Areas of concern include risks to the safety of students and circumstances that would not allow students to accomplish academic goals.
